Leisure Report articles from September 2004

Leisure Report archives from September 2004

Fitness merger speculation grows.
September 1, 2004... Fresh merger speculation fuelled the health and fitness market as various sources reported possible deals on the table between the leading players in the sector. A potential merger between Cannons and Holmes Place led the press...

Gaming International mbo nears completion.(management buyout )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The proposed 14.22m [pounds sterling] management buyout of Gaming International, the greyhound stadia and contract management firm, is expected to complete later this month. TokLon, the bidding vehicle led by Clark Osborne, the chief...

Great expectations for the future of the industry.(Inside track)(Editorial)
September 1, 2004... This issue will be the last under my editorship for some time, as I begin at least seven months of maternity leave from the end of August. Leisure Report will be left in the capable hands of Duncan Rowe, who has been freelancing at Martin...

Fitness industry boosted by health insurance initiative.(News)(Discovery)
September 1, 2004... A scheme to offer reduced insurance premiums to regular gym-goers could revolutionise the health and fitness market in the UK, according to industry bodies. PruHealth, a joint enterprise between Prudential Insurance and Discovery, the...

40m [pounds sterling] AMF sale could complete in September.(News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The sale of AMF Bowling's 33-strong UK tenpin chain is expected to take place this month. Sources close to the situation have said that a trade buyer is most likely to take on the business for a price believed to be in the region of 40m...

Aludel in receivership after failing to find Reviva funding.(News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Aludel, the operator of the Reviva chain of women-only health clubs, has gone into administrative receivership, after failing to secure capital to refurbish and modernise its sites. RSM Robson Rhodes has been officially appointed as...

Casino conference line-up announced.(News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Lord McIntosh, the gambling minister, has been confirmed as the keynote speaker for Leisure Report's 'Casinos and the Future Leisure Market' conference. The conference will be chaired by Dominic Harrison, trading director of Gala Group and...

Stanley appoints Riddy as new MD.(News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Stanley Leisure has appointed Michael Riddy as managing director of the group's gaming division, replacing Paul Collis. Riddy joined the company in 1998, when he took up the position of finance director. Riddy will be replaced by Colin...

LGV completes 80m [pounds sterling] Total Fitness buyout.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Legal and General Ventures, the private equity firm that specialises in the leisure market, completed its acquisition of Total Fitness, the 21-strong health and fitness chain, for an undisclosed sum believed to be in the region of 80m [pounds...

Peak Docklands sale brings Absolution to London.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Edward Symmons Hospitality and Leisure announced the sale of the Peak Fitness Club at London Docklands Arena to Absolution Gyms, the Liverpool-based operator, for about 200,000 [pounds sterling]. James Berk, principal of Absolution, which...

LA Fitness marches on but fails to impress City.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... LA Fitness announced it had secured a three-year contract with the Royal Navy to test the fitness levels of new recruits, as it continued to explore commercial opportunities. In a statement ahead of its final results for the year to 13...

Parkwood eyes private sector.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Parkwood Leisure, the public sector leisure management division of Parkwood Holdings, is believed to be considering a move into the private market. The company is also planning to make more of its contract catering division, seeking...

UK calls on more alternative therapies.(Health & fitness news)(United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Aromatherapy, shiatsu and reflexology are among the fastest-growing business sectors in the UK over the past 10 years, as the alternative therapy market continued to boom, a study by the Yellow Pages has shown. The Yellow Pages Alternative...

LCI mulls destination casinos, awaits Gt Northern decision.(Betting & gaming news)(London Clubs International)
September 1, 2004... London Clubs International is awaiting approval this month for its plans to develop a large casino at the Great Northern retail and leisure complex in Manchester. The company hopes to transfer the licence it was granted for a casino...

Blue Chip to try last roll of the dice in Warley.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Blue Chip Casinos, the provincial casino operator that is two-thirds owned by Isle of Capri Casinos from the US, is to make one final effort to get planning permission for 1.3m [pounds sterling] casino development in Warley in the West...

Ex-Guinness man joins Rank Group.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Brendan O'Neil will join the Rank Group as a non-executive director on 1 October. He will also sit on its audit committee. The former Guinness chief executive and board member is currently a non-executive director at Tyco, the manufacturing...

Report sparks debate over age verification for online betting.(Betting & gaming news)
September 1, 2004... Online gambling operators were defending their social responsibility practices after a study showed that under-18s can easily register on many betting sites operating in the UK. Under the research carried out by NCH, the children's charity,...

UK Betting reports strong trading.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... UK Betting, the online gaming and sports content firm, said that strong trading in the six months to 30 June was putting it on a steady course to achieve the future profitability predictions made when it announced losses for last year. ...

Sportingbet ahead of expectations.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Sportingbet, the market-leading online betting group, said strong margins from betting on the Euro 2004 football tournament and the US baseball season helped push trading ahead of its expectations for the four months to 31 July. The...

Stow takes over the reins at Northern Racing.(Sports news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Sir Stanley Clarke was appointed life president of Northern Racing from 9 August and will remain a non-executive director, after handing over the reins to Graham Stow, who became non-executive chairman of the group. The group also...

Ex-ministers launch review of UK sport.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Two former sports ministers, Kate Hoey and Lord Moynihan, have joined forces to set up the largest independent review of British sport for more than 40 years. The review is the first of its kind to be held since 1960, when the Wolfenden Report...

English football beats European rivals in 7bn [pounds sterling] industry.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Professional football in England is in its best condition for years, after clubs improved their business practices, invested in developing new stadia and dramatically reduced spending, according to the Deloitte Annual Review of Football. ...

Liverpool FC given go-ahead for 80m [pounds sterling] new stadium.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Anfield, the home of Liverpool FC for more than 100 years, will be replaced by a mixed-use development that will see the area developed into an 80m [pounds sterling] leisure complex based around the new stadium, featuring a hotel, bars,...

Taskcatch funding.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Taskcatch, the operator of small-sided football venues, announced it had raised about 140,000 [pounds sterling] through the issue of new equity, in order to free up working capital and to complete due diligence on potential acquisitions.

Sydney offers lesson to London 2012 bid.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The Sydney Morning Herald reported that four years on from the "best ever" Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, the cost of keeping the city's Olympic venues open has reached some A$46m (17.87m [pounds sterling]) a year. The paper said many...

Watford Leisure buys Vicarage Road.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Watford Leisure, the parent company of Watford FC, announced the club had arranged to repurchase the freehold of its Vicarage Road stadium, following the exercise of the option granted as part of the July 2002 sale and leaseback agreement. ...

Playgolf tees off AIM to grown urban chain.(Sport news)(Alternative Investment Market)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Playgolf, the owner and operator of golfing facilities in urban centres, is now trading on the Alternative Investment Market, following an initial placement of ordinary shares to raise 1.65m [pounds sterling] after expenses. The group...

At The Races launches 50m [pounds sterling] High Court action.(Sport news)(Racecourse Association)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Arena Leisure confirmed that At The Races, its joint venture with British Sky Broadcasting, had issued High Court proceedings against the Racecourse Association and 30 UK racecourses which signed up to ATR's rival channel, Racing UK, in a bid...

Celtic posts 7.5m [pounds sterling] loss despite claiming double.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Celtic Football Club, one of the two giants of Scottish football, reported a loss of 7.47m [pounds sterling] after tax for the year ended 30 June, despite winning the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Cup double last season. The club...

Leisure Report LR Index football stockwatch September 2004.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Celtic and Birmingham City shares led the risers in a quiet August, with Celtic's robust set of full-year figures showing reduced debts and operating losses helping boost shares in the Scottish giant by 3.3% to 62.6p. Birmingham shares gained...

Villa cuts wage bill but disposals wipe out operating profits.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Aston Villa reported a pre-tax loss of 10.7m [pounds sterling] for the year ended 31 May, as exceptionally high costs from player disposals coupled with a 12.2m [pounds sterling] write-down from player amortisation wiped out the club's...

National Amusements to bring Cinema de Lux brand to UK.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Imax)
September 1, 2004... National Amusements, which owns 18 sites and operates 237 screens in the UK under its Showcase brand, is to introduce its Cinema de Lux brand to Britain. The premium cinema brand will offer customers 'Director's Hall' auditoriums with...

Carlton boss in talks with Terra Firma to land UCI.(Cinema & entertainment news)
September 1, 2004... Michael Green, the former head of Carlton Television, is reportedly in talks with Guy Hands, the head of private equity group Terra Firma, to launch a joint bid for the UCI cinema chain. Green, who was ousted by rebel shareholders as ITV...

Marquee Club to get new Home.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Nathan Lowry, the Irish music entrepreneur who recently bought the Marquee Club brand and trademark, is to re-open the famous London live music venue in Leicester Square, on the site of the former Home nightclub. The new Marquee Club,...

Georgica strikes BK outlets.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Burger King restaurants)(Cairnserve)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Georgica, the operator of Riley's and Tenpin, the UK's leading cue sports and tenpin bowling centre businesses, announced the sale of its entire estate of 32 Burger King restaurants, as part of the group's drive to concentrate solely on its...

Raymond Revue to relaunch as gay club.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The Raymond Revue Bar, one of Soho's most well-known strip clubs and London's first "legal nude cabaret" since 1958, is set to reopen as a gay nightclub on 10 September, after closing earlier this year due to lack of custom. Now the 6,000...

Euro Disney sets new deadline for financial restructuring deal.(Tourism & attractions news)
September 1, 2004... Euro Disney has set a new deadline of 30 September to reach an agreement with its lenders after failing to convince all of its banks to sign up to a financial restructuring deal by the original cut-off date. The troubled operator of...

UK hotels performing well despite 'blip' in June.(Tourism & attractions news)(Tri Hospitality Consulting)
September 1, 2004... Tri Hospitality Consulting said growth in revenue per available room at hotels throughout the UK slowed in June, but that this was just a blip in the results for the year so far. During June 2004 revpar in London climbed 12.9% against the...

South Lakeland boosts team.(Tourism & attractions news)(South Lakeland Caravans)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... South Lakeland Caravans, the holiday park operator, announced the promotion of three of its senior staff to new directorships to help it fulfil its ambition to become the largest player in the UK market. Ian Gaskell, formerly head of...

Second leisure scheme for Swansea.(Property & development news)(Discovery Properties)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Developer Discovery Properties is working up a detailed planning application for the second major new leisure complex for Swansea. The firm, which was recently selected by the Welsh Development Agency along with City Lofts Group to develop...

X-Leisure Fund begins spending spree.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The X-Leisure Fund, the UK's largest leisure fund, has made its first significant acquisition with the 65m [pounds sterling] purchase of Brighton Marina from Parkridge Developments. Under the deal, X-Leisure and Parkridge will have a joint...

Ally Pally considers development options.(Property & development news)(Alexandra Palace)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Alexandra Palace could be redeveloped with a range of commercial leisure facilities. The trustees of the Victorian exhibition centre in London, are due to receive a final report this month from Arup, the building consultancy firm, after...

Leisure facilities at heart of Berkeley Homes 350m [pounds sterling] Royal Arsenal scheme in Woolwich.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Extensive leisure facilities feature in Berkeley Homes' largest ever planning application, for a 350m [pounds sterling] development comprising 3,000 new homes complemented by 300,000 sq ft of commercial space at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich,...

Commercial opportunities for revised Dudley Zoo plan.(Property & development news)
September 1, 2004... St Modwen Properties, the developer, hopes its latest revisions to the planning application for the site encompassing Dudley Zoological Gardens and Castle will ensure the project is given approval, opening up opportunities for a number of...

Row continues over Croydon Gateway arena.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The long-running dispute over the future development of the 12-acre Croydon Gateway shows no sign of abating despite deputy prime minister John Prescott's decision to turn down plans by one of two rival developers battling over the Surrey site....

West Pier redevelopment finally off.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The remains of Brighton's West Pier will be demolished as soon as possible because English Heritage has declared it beyond restoration. The 138-year-old structure has suffered from storms and arson attacks in the past two years. Plans for...

White City casino plans in doubt.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Reports of a proposed casino for the redevelopment of White City in West London were being played down by developer Chelsfield. Work has started on the 2bn [pounds sterling] retail and leisure scheme and discussions are underway with...

Appeal Court ruling deals tax blow to all-weather operators.(Industry news)
September 1, 2004... The House of Lords backed an Appeal Court ruling that an artificial all-weather racecourse installed at Lingfield Park was part of the premises, and not plant deductible as a capital allowance, a decision described as "of considerable interest...

Concerns over future of Lotto leisure funding.(Industry news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Lottery distributing bodies could find their ability to invest in leisure projects undermined by the uncertainty of the future of the National Lottery, according to file National Audit Office. The NAO has called on the Department for Culture,...

Tories warn over licensing reform.(Industry news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Michael Howard, the Conservative Party leader, has said that new laws allowing round-the-clock drinking in pubs and nightclubs would be reviewed under a Tory government. Howard said that he had deep concerns over the plans, due to come...

LDA injects 3.5m [pounds sterling] in hospitality industry.(Industry news)(London Development Agency)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The London Development Agency is to inject 3.5m [pounds sterling] into the hospitality industry, to help create top-class chefs, hotel managers and other staff across the capital. The sector accounts for 430,000 London jobs in 47,000...

Cotton named new Hospitality Action head.(Industry news)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Bob Cotton, the chief executive of the British Hospitality Association, has been appointed as the next president of Hospitality Action, a benevolent organisation that provides information and financial assistance to help those in the industry...

Gentle exercise, strong results: the chief executive of Reflex Group tells Mel Flaherty about his firm's niche fitness concept.(Profile)
September 1, 2004... If you were to form an opinion of the Motorcise Healthy Living Centre concept based on the appearance of Paul May, the chief executive of the 32-strong exercise chain's owner, Reflex Group, you'd be surprised when you walked through the doors...

Gift horse or Trojan horse? Marie Stevens looks at what the latest deliberations over gambling reforms mean for UK operators.(Opinion--draft gambling bill)(United Kingdom)
September 1, 2004... If the Department for Culture, Media and Sport gets its way, the Draft Gambling Bill will be formally introduced to the Commons in October, slipping under the wire before parliament is dissolved. Barring mishaps, ministers hope the Bill will...

Golf operators bunkered by lack of new blood; Simon Stephens says the UK golf market is handicapped by the game's narrow appeal.(Sector update--golf)(United Kingdom)
September 1, 2004... Most people's image of golf is the of the young, black American player Tiger Woods, but the reality in the UK is that participation is dominated by affluent white males in the 3564 age bracket. This was one of the main findings of market...

Hothouse flowers: Egremont says 'quickly' and 'sustainably' are watchwords for implementing new ideas across an estate.(Business sense--roll outs)
September 1, 2004... This "article introduces some new thinking on how to roll out ideas from a handful of sites to the whole of your estate. Analysis has shown that several years on, companies that had combined physical refit of sites with staff training and...

Leisure Report LR Index leisure stockwatch September 2004.(Sharewatch)
September 1, 2004... Coffee Republic was the standout performer of the leisure stocks, with shares gaining more than 30% to 0.81p, fuelled by strong full-year results which showed it had finally 'turned the comer' and cut losses from 9.8m [pounds sterling] last...

Diary dates.(Calendar)
September 1, 2004... September Event: The Evolving Landscape of British Horseracing Date: 13 Location: Millennium Hotel Knightsbridge, London Description: Day-long event, supported by Leisure Report, examining changes to racing in a competitive...